Well-known Narrabri residents Boyce and Sally Alexander celebrated 65 years of marriage on Wednesday, September 15.
The couple met in Collins Park when they were teenagers. Sally, nee Robinson, was with her friend Dianne Sky watching the cricket on their Malvern Star bikes when Boyce, on his newly acquired Speedwell, spotted Sally.
“It was love at first sight,” said Boyce “and we’ve been together ever since.”
The couple was married at the Church of England at 4pm on September 15, 1956 when they were 17 and 18 years of age.
Rev Harold Mills was the Anglican priest who married them and their reception was held at the Catholic Hall in Bowen Street, the second reception to be held there.
Their attendants were Max Small, John Shepherd, Joan Robinson and Nancy Grayson.
More than 100 guests attended and the Bert Wright band played.
Sally was born of British parents in Ceylon and lived there until she was 10-years-old. Her father had been killed in the early stages of the war.
Her mother remarried Len Moffatt who had been an officer in the British Army. The family was coming to Australia as Mr Moffatt carried a letter of introduction to the Prime Minister Ben Chiffley so he could inspect the Snowy Mountain Scheme as Mr Moffatt had been appointed by the Canadian government to oversee a similar scheme in Canada.
However, as the family was sailing through the Sydney heads, Mr Moffatt sufferd a severe heart attack after which he was in a nursing home for three years.
The family lived at a hotel at Cremorne Point (where Sally had her first ice-cream in a cone) throughout Mr Moffatt’s convalescence.
After Mr Moffatt recuperated he was employed by Theiss Brothers in Maitland.
When Sally’s mother, who had been in the Women’s Army in Ceylon, was offered a job at Narrabri Hospital the family moved to Narrabri and Mr Moffatt was employed by Griffcos in Doyle Street, now the site of BNB Engineering.
Boyce is a Narrabri local, the son of Earnest and Laura (nee Hine) Alexander, the youngest of eight, four boys and four girls.
Boyce and Sally have two sons Peter and Michael, four grandchildren and 13 great grandchildren.
Sally and Boyce have been strong supporters of community organisations and events throughout their lives and will be congratulated and wished well by their many friends and family as they quietly celebrate this milestone.
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